The Drug and Alcohol Testing Blog

Updated Expert Witness Statements: What to Know

Written by James Nutt | May 15, 2024


James Nutt, Cansford's Laboratory Operations Manager has launched a new look Expert Witness Statement this month which is designed to lighten the load and simplify the reader experience for professionals attending court. 

The Cansford team working on the upgrades and improvements have designed the report as directed by feedback and instructions from Family Law professionals. 

We’ve updated our Expert Witness Statements 
At Cansford we have over 30 years of experience in providing Expert Witness Reports. Our journey began with Tricho-Tech, and since then, our reports have been used in tens of thousands of child law cases in the UK and internationally.

We are dedicated to delivering precise, transparent, and accessible reports. In family law cases, they offer vital scientific analysis and evidence on substance abuse helping aid decisions that prioritise the safety and best interests of children and family members.

New easy-to use-format

We’ve listened to feedback asking for information to be presented in a tabular, easy to access format and have updated our reports to reflect this. The new report design features  a summary providing test details, parties involved, and result interpretation.
 
Maintaining Quality & Compliance:
Our reports continue to uphold the standards outlined in Practice Direction 35, ensuring compliance with court rules. They provide detailed information on:
 
•    Substance use within estimated timeframes, categorised by level (low, medium, high).
•    Chronic or sporadic substance use over time, or limitations of certain test types.
•    Indications of substance use trends if testing was conducted in segments.
•    Factors affecting test accuracy, like pre-testing bleaching, and how they influence judgment on substance use.
•    Comparative alcohol use data against WHO norms and medical standards, including contextual information.

Our team are on hand to answer your questions
Members of the Cansford reporting team all hold relevant scientific degrees to at least BSc level, have proven laboratory experience of analysing samples and assessment techniques in accordance with ISO 17025 UKAS testing standards.
 
All are qualified to appear as expert witnesses through Bond Solon training, a university certificated training programme for expert witnesses which covers excellence in report writing, to communicate complex scientific findings in a clear and understandable manner, courtroom skills and family law and procedure.
 
The team are on hand to answer any questions you may have at any point. We don’t triage access – simply drop an email to info@cansfordlabs.co.uk or phone us directly on 029 2054 0567.